Cycling Community Compendium
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Cycling Community Compendium Pedestrian and Cycling Master Plan Salt Spring Island Edition Executive Summary This document was written as a companion document to the Salt Spring Island Pedestrian and Cycling Master Plan (PCMP - SSI Edition). Whereas the PCMP - SSI Edition is focused on creating a network for active transportation including walking, cycling and transit-integration, this document is focused on cycling and the other, non-engineering, ways of supporting cyclists. Together, these two documents are designed to address what is commonly known as the five E’s of bicycle-friendly planning: 1. Engineering 2. Education 3. Empowerment 4. Enforcement 5. Evaluation The Cycling Community Compendium is intended to show the ways in which the Salt Spring Island community currently works to encourage safe, convenient, and enjoyable cycling – and how community members might consider building on these efforts. Although walking is not specifically mentioned, many of the ideas here could be applied to active transportation as a whole. In recognition of the sometimes differing needs of resident cyclists and cyclists visiting the island, ways in which both of these groups can be helped to feel safe and comfortable while cycling on Salt Spring Island have been included in this document. In the Education and Empowerment sections, examples of past and present programs and events put together by a variety of community organizations are presented, followed by a brief set of recommendations for the future. The Education section highlights programs such as Helmets for Life and Bike Rodeos, and Salt Spring Island-specific material that is available to help educate cyclists and motorists, such as the Natural History & Heritage Map and Share the Road Brochure. Included in the Empowerment section are summaries of events and happenings that promote and encourage cycling, such as Bike to Work Week, the Fulford Bike Fest, and Velo Village. Suggestions for future ways of providing cycling education and empowerment have been adapted from the Capital Regional District Pedestrian and Cycling Master Plan (PCMP) to fit the unique community and conditions on Salt Spring Island. These recommendations include educational programs such as a professional development program and the use of a coordinated media strategy, and empowering events such as an annual cycling celebration and bicycle- friendly business awards. The Enforcement section addresses three ways in which bylaws on Salt Spring Island can help to promote cycling and improve the experiences of cyclists: through policies that direct the provision of Trip Enhancement Facilities, strategies for promotion of active transportation, and ways of ensuring that cycling is accessible to everyone. The guidelines and policies on these topics that are included in local bylaws are evaluated in comparison to best practices from comparable jurisdictions. In several instances, bylaws on Salt Spring Island compare favourably to best practices from elsewhere, but there is room for improvement. A summary of the existing state of road maintenance is also included in this section. i In order to demonstrate the positive impact of investments in cycling programs and infrastructure, accurate and consistent measurement of the status of cycling on Salt Spring Island is required. In the last section, Evaluation of the success of bicycle-friendly planning is discussed, namely, the standardized bicycle counting exercises that started on Salt Spring Island in 2012. There are a great many dedicated and creative people and organizations on Salt Spring Island who use a variety ways of educating, empowering, enforcing norms and rules, and evaluating cycling to contribute to making the island a safer and more enjoyable place to cycle. The Cycling Community Compendium is intended to celebrate the amazing work that has been done by people and organizations from across the community, inspire and enable these and similar efforts to continue, and draw in new people and ideas too. Photo Credits: Cover: David Borrowman Page 1: Brenda Guiled Page 4: Jane MacKenzie Pages 5, 12: Island Pathways Page 6: Brydone Dewar Page 12: Salt Spring Island Community Energy Strategy Page 13: Both photos by Ron Watts <www.ronwattsphoto.com> All other pictures are by the author ii Introduction When planning for more and better cycling, it’s important to remember that although excellent linear, physical infrastructure is essential, it’s not the whole story. There is much that can be done in the non-engineering realm to improve the cycling experience and promote the shift from less sustainable forms of transportation to increased cycling. Included in this report is a summary of the ways in which Education, Empowerment, Enforcement, and Evaluation have been, and could be, used on Salt Spring Island to promote safe, seamless cycling for everyone. It is hoped that by getting all these E’s together – plus the Engineering E – that cycling on Salt Spring Island will continue to move in the direction of increased safety, practicality, and fun for as many people as possible. Acknowledgements This report builds on the efforts of many great people and organizations on Salt Spring Island who have been working for decades to improve cycling on the island. Many thanks to this strong community of cyclists and cycling enthusiasts! Thank you to the Salt Spring Island Cycling Master Plan Technical Advisory Committee: Brenda Guiled: Chair of both Island Pathways and its affiliate Bicycle Working Group (BWG), organizer of the 2010 Cycling Forum, instigator of the 2011 Cycling Survey Report Donald McLennan: Commissioner, Salt Spring Island Transportation Commission John Wakefield: Chair, Salt Spring Island Transportation Commission; John Rowlandson: Director of Island Pathways Velo Village Bike Festival and International Cycling Conference Kees Ruurs: Senior Manager, Capital Regional District Salt Spring Kristin Aasen: Planner, Islands Trust Claire Heffernen: past President of Island Pathways and long time regional cycling advocate Thanks also to Sue Hallatt, Regional Planner with the Capital Regional District, and Gavin Davidson from Alta Planning + Design for their support and review of this document. Torill Gillespie (project intern) 1 Table of Contents EDUCATION .......................................................................................................................................... 3 Existing and Past Efforts ....................................................................................................................... 4 Inside Out Art Project .......................................................................................................................... 4 Helmets for Life Program .................................................................................................................... 4 Bike Rodeos ......................................................................................................................................... 5 Natural History & Heritage Map .......................................................................................................... 5 The Cycling Forum .............................................................................................................................. 5 Share the Road Brochure ...................................................................................................................... 6 Cycling and Rural Mobility Conference .............................................................................................. 7 Recommendations ................................................................................................................................... 8 Professional Development Programs ................................................................................................... 8 Cycling Skills Courses for Adults and Children .................................................................................. 8 Family Bicycling Program ................................................................................................................... 9 Media Strategy ..................................................................................................................................... 9 EMPOWERMENT ............................................................................................................................... 11 Existing and Past Efforts ..................................................................................................................... 11 Bike to Work Week ............................................................................................................................ 11 Easter Bicycle Parade ......................................................................................................................... 12 Critical Mass ...................................................................................................................................... 12 Velo Village ....................................................................................................................................... 13 Velo Village Merchant Coupons and Support Certificates ................................................................ 14 Fulford Bike Fest ................................................................................................................................ 14 Fulford Spokespeople Cycling Club .................................................................................................